The present invention relates to cable management systems for telecommunications cables.
Suppliers and users of structured connectivity communications systems in local area networks often have difficulty managing the cabling and demarcation and patching points such as in communications closets and computer rooms. Here, large numbers of data, voice, and video communications circuits, cables and connectors may be concentrated into small areas on relay racks and in communications cabinets resulting in congestion of cabling and connectors. In the past, connectivity systems attempted to ease the congestion of cabling and connectors by integrating cable management devices within and around the racks and cabinets. In the connectivity industry, horizontal cable management devices may be provided between each row of patch panels. As a result, applications with a high number of network connections or circuits must generally double the amount of racks and floor space needed in order to accommodate the horizontal management devices for cable management. Minimizing the space consumed by the cable management systems, and managing the cable in an efficient manner are desired.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a cable management system including a rack and a ribcage cable support member. The rack includes a base, and two upwardly extending side supports configured and arranged for holding telecommunications equipment having cable connection locations. The rack further has a front, a rear, and a vertical side. The ribcage cable support member is mounted to the rack along the vertical side. The ribcage cable support member includes a middle support having a front, a rear, and two sides. The middle support includes a plurality of spools positioned on the front, and a plurality of holes between the front and the rear. Two columns of spaced-apart ribs are on each side of the middle support. Each column of ribs includes a first set of ribs extending transversely away from the middle support on the front, and a second set of ribs extending transversely away from the middle support on the rear. Each rib further includes a cable retention tab, where each cable retention tab extends generally toward the ribs of the corresponding set in the other column. First and second cable positioning chambers on opposite sides of the middle support are defined by the middle support and the two columns of spaced art ribs.
A further aspect of the present invention relates to a cable management device for use with a telecommunications equipment rack. The cable management device includes a generally planar spine section extending in a longitudinal direction, and mounting holes for receipt of fasteners to mount the planar spine section to the rack. First and second sets of ribs extend from the planar spine section in opposite directions, each opposite direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. Each rib has a main portion extending parallel to the planar spine section and transversely to the longitudinal direction. Each rib further has a tab on an end of the main portion extending transversely to the main portion. The tabs of each of the first and second sets of ribs extend in the same general direction so as to define a U-shaped device along the longitudinal direction.